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OGA Applauds GreenON Low Carbon Initiative

Dec. 13, 2017 – The Ontario Geothermal Association (OGA) applauded the announcement by the province’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Chris Ballard about a new program of ﬁnancial support for Ontario households interested in improving their energy eﬃciency and lowering the carbon footprint of their homes.

The Low Carbon Technology Incentives program is designed to encourage homeowners to invest in building envelope and HVAC upgrades. The primary focus will be on existing detached, semi-detached, and row town houses with rebate values are covering 50-75% of the installed costs. Measures include insulation for exterior walls, attics and basements, air sealing, windows (ENERGY STAR® Most Eﬃcient) and heat pumps—air source and ground source.

Rebates for air source heat pumps will range from $1,900 for ductless air source heat pumps to $5,500 for ducted cold climate units. Rebates for geothermal systems will be $2,000 per loop ton for horizontal loop systems and $3,000 per loop ton for vertical loop systems, with additional incentives for adding de- superheaters ($750), domes; water heating ($1,500) and for systems that meet higher eﬃciency levels (an additional $1,500). Rebates for geothermal will be capped at $15,000 for horizontal systems and $20,000 for vertical loop systems. Additional rebates of $750 per loop ton will be available for replacing existing geothermal heat pumps for more eﬃcient systems.

Contractor registration for the program will be administered by the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HARI). The program will build upon the SaveOnEnergy contractor database and management processes, which are managed on behalf of Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). There will be speciﬁc training and certification requirements for contractors to be registered to oﬀer each of the diﬀerent program measures.

“We are very pleased with the Ontario Government’s commitment to combatting climate change through investments in low carbon heating and cooling technologies,” said OGA Chair Jim Bolger, President of Waterloo Energy Products, Maryhill, ON. “Geothermal heat pump systems are the most energy eﬃcient way to heat and cool homes and buildings and, in jurisdictions like Ontario, where electricity is mostly generated without burning hydrocarbon fuels, it also represents a signiﬁcant way for Ontarians to reduce their carbon footprint. This technology, in conjunction with investments in home insulation and air sealing, will not only lower energy bills and minimize greenhouse gas emissions, but it will also improve the indoor comfort of homes.”

The OGA, in partnership with HRAI, is preparing the heating and air conditioning industry in the province to answer questions people might have and to respond to demand for geothermal systems that will be generated by the rebates program. These organizations are committed to ensuring systems are installed by fully trained and qualiﬁed contractors, backed by appropriate warranties and support from equipment manufacturers. This technology has been widely deployed with great success in other parts of the world.

Acknowledging that this new rebates program is limited to home retroﬁts, the OGA is also exploring the potential for introducing geothermal systems into the new home market: “OGA is pleased to be working with Enbridge Gas Distribution in the development of innovative utility models for the geothermal loop assets, which will further increase adoption of the technology,” said Bolger.

The OGA will work with HRAI, GreenON, IESO, Enbridge and other willing partners to communicate to the people of Ontario the full beneﬁts of investing in this remarkable technology. For more informa1on, contact Kendy Sandy via email here, or by phone at or (905) 602-4700 ext. 250 (HARI and OGA)

The Ontario Geothermal Association (OGA) is a not-for-proﬁt organization representing geothermal energy system designers, drillers, installers, equipment manufacturers and distributors to advance Ontario’s geothermal heating and cooling industry. Visit www.ontariogeothermal.cafor details. The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HARI) is a national association that represents more than 1,350 heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) manufacturers, wholesalers and contractors, and provides Canadians with the tools and information necessary to ensure their total indoor environment comfort. Visit www.hrai.cafor details.

Ontario’s Low Carbon Technology Incentives Program

The Low Carbon Technology Incentives program is designed to encourage homeowners to invest in building envelope and HVAC upgrades. The primary focus will be on existing detached, semi-detached, and row town houses with rebate values are covering 50-75% of the installed costs. Measures include insulation for exterior walls, attics and basements, air sealing, windows (ENERGY STAR® Most Efficient) and heat pumps—air source and ground source. Rebates for air source heat pumps will range from $1,900 for ductless air source heat pumps to $5,500 for ducted cold climate units. Rebates for geothermal systems will be $2,000 per loop ton for horizontal loop systems and $3,000 per loop ton for vertical loop systems, with additional incentives for adding de-superheaters ($750), domestic water heatng ($1,500) and for systems that meet higher efficiency levels (an additional $1,500). Rebates for geothermal will be capped at $15,000 for horizontal systems and $20,000 for vertical loop systems. Additional rebates of $750 per loop ton will be available for replacing existing geothermal heat pumps for more efficient systems.